Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

mastectomy, total
A simple mastectomy. See
mastectomy, simple.
masticate
To chew.
mastitis
Inflammation of one or more mammary
glands within the breast, usually in a lactating
woman. Mastitis can be felt as a hard, sore spot
within the breast. Mastitis can be caused by an infec-
tion in the breast or by a plugged milk duct.
Treatment includes resting and applying warm com-
presses to the affected area, and for those who are
lactating, nursing or expressing milk frequently.
mastocytoma
A benign nodular tumor on the
skin, rich in mast cells, that is usually present at
birth or in early childhood and resolves sponta-
neously. Also called a mast cell tumor. See also 
mast
cell.
mastocytosis
A condition characterized by infil-
tration of mast cells into the tissues of the body.
Mast cells are connective tissue cells which release
chemicals, including histamine, that cause itching,
swelling, and fluid leakage from cells. There are
several different clinical forms of mastocytosis. See
also 
mast cell; mastocytoma.
mastoid
The rounded protrusion of bone just
behind the ear. The mastoid was once thought to
look like a breast (hence its name).
mastoiditis
Inflammation of the mastoid, which
often occurs secondarily to ear infection.
maternal mortality rate
The number of regis-
tered maternal deaths due to birth- or pregnancy-
related complications per 100,000 registered live
births.
261
maternal mortality rate
14_189283 ch13.qxp 4/18/08 10:17 PM Page 261
http://www.rashidislamiccenter.com
http://www.allofislam.com/

---

maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein
The pres-
ence of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a plasma protein
that is normally produced by the fetus, in the
mother’s blood. Abbreviated MSAFP. MSAFP serves
as the basis for some valuable tests. AFP is manu-
factured principally in the fetus’s liver but is also
found in the fetal gastrointestinal tract and in the
yolk sac, a structure that is temporarily present dur-
ing embryonic development. The level of AFP is typ-
ically high in the fetus’s blood, goes down in the
baby’s blood after birth, and by 1 year of age is vir-
tually undetectable. During pregnancy, AFP crosses
the placenta from the fetal circulation and appears
in the mother’s blood. The MSAFP can be screened
to detect a number of disorders, including open
neural tube defects, such as anencephaly and spina
bifida, in which case MSAFP tends to be high; Down
syndrome, in which case MSAFP tends to be low;
and other chromosome abnormalities.